Rangers boss insists injury has kept Miller out
Pedro Caixinha insists Kenny Miller missed Rangers' Friday night win over St Johnstone due to injury, despite claims he has been frozen out of the first-team squad.
The striker has not been selected by the Ibrox manager since a series of dressing room leaks in the wake of last month's defeat to Old Firm rivals Celtic.
Miller's agent, Dave Baldwin, posted a defiant defence of his client online on Tuesday and suggested the striker had been made a scapegoat for the leaks and frozen out of the squad, but Caixinha claims the 37-year-old is suffering with a hamstring injury.
Explaining his absence, the Portuguese told RangersTV: "Kenny was a question of precaution, he trained OK before the match and then did a sort of treatment on Friday and now he's four days further on so he is able to start training today (Tuesday).
"He pulled something in a finishing drill last week, something on the hamstring."
However Baldwin's earlier post on Instagram appeared to suggest there was no injury, and that the player was being shown disrespect by his manager after missing the wins over Hamilton and St Johnstone.
He posted on Instagram: "The 'inferral' that this guy above is anything other than one of the best 'professionals' of the last 20 years is a joke.
"If @rangersfc have a 'leak,' 'rat' or a 'traitor' in the ranks then they should say who it is and deal with it rather than leave one man hung out to dry!!!
"To make those accusations and then leave Kenny out of the squad and not say a word is embarrassing...........and then do it again! Looks pretty obvious to me where the leaks come from"
Baldwin finished his post with several hashtags, adding: "#shambolic #Embarrassing #hungouttodry #nameandshame #naughty #disrespectful"
Gers, who are preparing for a Betfred Cup semi-final at Hampden Park this weekend, have welcomed back Niko Kranjcar and Danny Wilson to the squad following injury.
"Niko and Danny will be with us from the start of this week, like Kenny, David Bates and Ryan Jack," he said. "They were more or less available to be with us but were out from the last game.
"We hope to have some news with Jordan Rossiter as well this week so things are going in the right direction to have the whole group together again.
"Niko and Danny now need rhythm, they are training on a daily basis and it was important for them to get minutes in order to get the rhythm and once they have that then they are fighting with the others.
"Lee Wallace is also progressing, he is the last one on the list but we know he is going to take time, probably between three or four weeks.